Han Shot First

[Aaron Montgomery]

7/22/17

HLM Week 13 Bench (M) + OHP

Comp. Bench (M) (3min rest):
- 192.5x1@RPE 8
- 170x5@RPE 8
- 170x5@RPE 8
- 167.5x5@RPE 8
- 167.5x5@RPE 8.5
- 162.5x5@RPE 8

Inc db curls w/FGZ

OHP TnG (90s rest):
- 80x7
- 85x7
- 92.5x7@RPE 7.5
- 92.5x7@RPE 8
- 92.5x7@RPE 8.5
- 85x7@RPE 8

Comp. Bench - Starting to notice pain/burning sensation under my armpit, between my pec and lats while benching. I can replicate the pain by stretching my arms overhead. Also noticing slight pain in my posterior deltoid. I wonder if this is something to just work through, of if I'm already developing problems from "over-use" since I'm benching using the same grip 3x/week. I may try dropping one working set each bench session next week, and see if things feel any better.
OHP - Do sets of 7 count as cardio/endurance training? My shoulders feel beat after 5 reps, even with these light weights.

[Aaron Montgomery]

7/23/17

HLM Week 13 DL (H) + SQ (M)

205.2lb (body weight has plateaued at 4600 cals/day)

DL (H) - 350x5@RPE 9 (x5 PR!)
SQ (M) - 260 4x4 (4-5 min rest)
Pendlay Rows - 160 3x8 (2 min rest)

Lifted at 4:00pm. Lower back still felt a bit fatigued/sore/tight, but didn't interfere with deadlifting.

Deadlift - I didn't play loud music or get psyched up today, which is probably why I didn't crush my top set like last week. Used 3 plates for my last warmup set, which is kind of cool Oh, and I didn't wear any socks today. Just shorts, longer compression shorts, and knee sleeves. This combo seems to work good.
Squat - Belly is getting fatter, which is messing up how I wear my belt, too high, and my umbilical hernia repair hurts. Too low, and my lower belly fat gets pinched and hurts like crazy. ugh
P. Rows - I think this is a x8 PR? Don't recall ever getting my top set of 5 past 165lb.

[Aaron Montgomery]

HLM Week 13 Report

Tonnage: ~44,300lb total
- Main lifts: ~27,600lb
- Accy lifts: ~16,700lb

[Chebass88]

Congrats on your deadlift PR. There is a lot to be said about being calm & collected while attempting a new lift. If you can consistently do well when being calm, the added boost of some loud music & psyche up can occasionally help you. It is similar to coffee in a way - if you only have 1 cup per morning, having 3 cups in one day has a tremendous effect. If you regularly drink 3 cups per day, you might need 6 cups to have the same tremendous effect.

You should keep a table in a logbook or on a sheet of paper in your garage to track PRs. That way, you'll know for sure when you hit a new PR. A Pendlay Row PR isn't the same as a 1RM deadlift PR, but knowing you did more than you did before can be quite a motivating force.

Keep pushing ahead and getting stronger!

[Aaron Montgomery]

Congrats on your deadlift PR. There is a lot to be said about being calm & collected while attempting a new lift. If you can consistently do well when being calm, the added boost of some loud music & psyche up can occasionally help you. It is similar to coffee in a way - if you only have 1 cup per morning, having 3 cups in one day has a tremendous effect. If you regularly drink 3 cups per day, you might need 6 cups to have the same tremendous effect.

You should keep a table in a logbook or on a sheet of paper in your garage to track PRs. That way, you'll know for sure when you hit a new PR. A Pendlay Row PR isn't the same as a 1RM deadlift PR, but knowing you did more than you did before can be quite a motivating force.

Keep pushing ahead and getting stronger!

Thanks Chebass! I used to try to get psyched up all the time, but now I'm trying to limit it to a 'as needed' basis, no more than 1 set per training session. I've also been trying to lower my caffeine intake on session that are light or if I'm feeling energetic (which isn't often).

I've started highlighting my top set every session in my logbook, and writing 'PR' in the margins. Sure is nice being an early intermediate and getting to write 'PR' almost every single week.

[Aaron Montgomery]

7/25/17

HLM Week 14 Bench (H) TnG + accessories

206.8lb (PR!)
4700 cals/day

Bench (H) TnG (3m rest):
- 170x4 RPE 6?
- 180x4 RPE 7.5
- 192.5x4 RPE 9
- 190x4 RPE 9.5
- 185x4 RPE 9
BB Curls w/Fat Gripz - 55x10/10/10/8/8 (60s rest)
Inc CGBP (90s rest):
- 105x8@RPE 6?
- 115x8@RPE 8
- 110x8@RPE 8.5
- 105x7@RPE 9
- 95x8@RPE 8
EZ seated tri-ext - 57.5x12/12

Bench (H) - Top set felt good, but didn't have much energy/focus for the remaining sets. Going to do one less set on medium day next time.
Inc CGBP - Need to bump up my rest times to 2 min. I just don't have the muscular endurance for sets of 8 with 90s rest. Ridiculous that my Inc CGBP is only 10lb higher than my volume OHP day.
Bro work - Hopefully I'm not just wasting time with this stuff. I'll take measurements again at 210lb. I want to start doing forearm work/grip training soon, so I also did a couple sets of wrist curls/rev wrist curls today with just a 15lb bar. Need to make sure I don't make my wrists/tendons/ligaments mad.

[Aaron Montgomery]

7/26/17

HLM Week 14 SQ (H) + DL (M) Baker 3-week squat rotation (Cycle 2, Week 3)

Squat (2.3 H):
- 327.5 x3@RPE9 (3 rep PR!)(95% of 345)
- 292.5 3x3 (85% of 345). 6 min rest
DL - 285 3x5 (~80% of 355). 3 min rest

Squat - Horrible night of sleep. Took 30-60 minutes to fall asleep, woke up at least a dozen times, neck hurt, and was awake for 60-90 minutes in the middle of the night. Consumed breakfast, sour pickle, gummy bears, 200mg caffeine and drank a little gatorade. Did my warmups, blasted KSE, got my belt and shoes really tight, and got psyched up. After unracking the bar the only thought going through my head was '3 reps'. Got it done, and felt like I had a 4th rep in the tank. After reviewing video, the last rep was probably parallel, not below, but I don't have a lot of practice hitting weights above 90% of my 1RM. I think I'll bump up my estimated 1RM by 10lb again for the next 3 week cycle. If I can keep these heavy triples progressing by 10lb every 3 weeks for a few more cycles, I'll hit 405 before the year's out. Guessing I need to hit a 365-375 triple to get a 405 single? Didn't feel like deadlifting after hitting the backoff sets.
DL - Wore shoes for the first 2 sets, so I guess that means I did 3/4" deficit deadlifts? My feet appreciated the shoes, but the last set felt better since I did it with just socks on.

No energy for Pendlay Rows today.

[Aaron Montgomery]

7/27/17

HLM Week 14 - 2ct. Paused Bench

2ct. Paused Bench (90s rest):
- 145x4@RPE 6?
- 155x4@RPE 7?
- 162.5x4@RPE ~8
- 170x4@RPE 9
- 170x4@RPE 9.5 (technique issues last rep)
- 165x4@RPE 9

EZ rev curls w/fgz 32.5 4x12 (no forearm pain today)
grip work

P. Bench - Had energy for more working sets, but want to see if my next bench session feels better. Trying out slightly less volume on each bench day.
Grip work - still using really light weights for this. My wrists are fine with plate pinches, wrist curls and ez rev curls, but not ok with rev wrist curls. My wrists snap and pop like crazy with rev wrist curls, and they kind of hurt.

Eyeball looks nasty today, like I have pink eye or something. Hopefully popping blood vessels in my eyeballs isn't going to be a regular occurrence on heavy squat day.

[Aaron Montgomery]

7/29/17

HLM Week 14 Bench (M) + OHP

Comp. Bench (M) (3min rest):
- 185x1
- 195x1@RPE 7.5?
- 200x1@RPE 8 (PR. was supposed to stop at RPE 8...)
- 205x1@RPE 9 (All-time PR!)
- 175x5@RPE 8
- 175x5@RPE 8
- 170x5@RPE 7.5
- 170x5@RPE 7.5
Inc db curls w/FGZ
OHP TnG (2min rest):
- 85x7
- 90x7@RPE 7? (I can't figure out RPE<8)
- 95x7@RPE 7.5?
- 95x7@RPE 8
- 95x7@RPE 7.5 (tightened belt 1 more notch)
- 95x7@RPE 7.5
- 105x1, 115x1, 125x1@RPE 9
grip work

Comp. Bench - Felt really good today. Slept in, upped caloric intake earlier this week, had my t shot Thursday night, blasted instrumental KSE, and did one less working set on paused bench 2 days ago. 200x1 went so well, I couldn't resist taking another heavy single. 205x1 could've been a double if I pushed it, so I think my current true 1RM is probably 215. I'm not pausing for more than 1/2 a second at the bottom, but it's definitely not a TnG bench with the bar slamming on my sternum. Today's 205x1 had waaaay better form than my 197.5x1 5 weeks ago. Feet firmly planted, butt stayed on bench, had a slight pause at the bottom, no flailing, and good lockout. Doing non-TnG bench twice a week has really helped.
OHP TnG- Felt really good today. I think I'm finally adjusting to these higher volumes. RPE stuff is hard to figure out when working set volume is higher than 5, and the RPE is under 8. Had a bit of energy after my working sets, so I decided to hit some "heavy" singles real quick.
Bro stuff - Took it east on the curls today, biceps felt sore for some reason. Grip work is going much better now. Finally figured out that rev. wrist curls aren't painful with an EZ curl bar, as opposed to using a straight bar.

[Aaron Montgomery]

7/30/17

HLM Week 14 DL (H) + SQ (M)

207.2lb (PR)

7am
DL (H) - 355x2/1 (was supposed to be x5); 320x3
SQ (M) - 277.5 3x3 (4-5 min rest)

Decided to work out early before church so I wouldn't have to lift when the heat index is 114. Lower back felt fatigued/stiff/sore, and even the 320 warmup before my working set was rough. Technically 355x2 is a x2 PR, but I wasn't happy with not hitting it x5.
-----------------------------
Was so agitated that I missed 355x5, that I decided to attempt it again at 2:30pm when it was sweltering hot.

2:30pm
DL (H) - 355x5@RPE10 (x5 PR! BOOM!)

Glad I hit my x5 PR, but now I'm confused why I hit it after building up some fatigue from this morning's session. My lower back didn't feel as tight/stiff this afternoon. And maybe my head wasn't in it this morning b/c I hadn't been awake long. Not sure. Either way, I didn't accept failure, and got it done.